Means for making turbine-rators.



A. W. CARLSON.

MEANS FOR MAKING TURBINE ROTORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-20. l9l8- Patented July 23, 1918.

YcnG driscccnmcl AXEL W. CARLSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS FOR MAKING TURBINE-ROTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Original application filed Februaly 23, 1918, Serial No. 218,860. Divided and this application filed April 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL WV. CARLSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Means for Making Turbine-Rotors, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a novel device for use in the manufacture of rotors for elastic fluid turbine engines; the object being to provide a practically eflicient means for facilitating the assembling of the turbine vanes, and for forming complete annular cores embracing the positioned vanes in their assembled order, preparatory to casting the rotor-wheel upon the inner ends of the vanes.

A further object is to provide a circular box with a removable clamping device adapted for the concentric temporary sup port of the entire circle of radially disposed vanes and a facing band, in their properly assembled relation, for application thereto of an embedding annulus of core forming material.

These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more fully hereinafter explained.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan View with its quarterings shown at different levels; the upper quarter portion represents the core-box with its interior vacant; the portion at the left represents the annular core formed therein, and indicating the turbine buckets or vanes and face-band as assembled and incased in the annulus of core material. The portion at the right hand represents the structure of the lower clampplate and section of the core-box at line X, or at the division level of the clamp devices; and the lower portion represents the top of the core-box with its cover on.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical central section of the combined core-box and clamp-plates; one side showing the core as formed therein, the other side showing the core-forming space with the rotor vane supported therein ready for receiving the core material.

Fig. 3 represents the end and front of one of the buckets or vanes, drawn to larger scale; and Fig. 4 shows a side and cross-section detail of a portion of the perforated circular band employed for spacing the vanes and forming the face of the rotor-wheel.

Serial No. 229,729.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 2 indicates the buckets or vanes which are radially disposed about the periphery of the rotor. Said vanes, which are made of suitable composition metal, such as heretofore employed for like purpose, are individually formed substantially as shown in Fig. 3, each having transverse offset shoulders 41: and a longitudinally projecting reduced tongue or shank 5 at its inner end, preferably proportioned approximately as indicated, and provided with notches or grooves across the sides. The outer ends of the vanes may be provided with endwise projecting lugs 6.

Numeral 10 indicates an annular core-box, and 12 a circular clamp-plate adapted to be concentrically supported within the box 10, and retained in proper central relation by an offset or shoulder 11, against which the lower corner of the plate fits; or by other efficient means. 13 indicates the upper plate of the clamp preferably formed as an annulus of equal diameter to the plate 12, and superposed thereon with its under surface counter-matching the upper surface of the lower plate; their peripheral edges being uniform with each other and approximately upright, or slightly inclined from their junction line outward.

The adjacent faces. of the clamp-plates 12 and 13 are provided near their periphery with a grip-space or radial. recesses 15, adapt ed for receiving the tongues or shanks 5 of the vanes 2, and firmly clamping the same in position when the two clamp-plates 12 and 13 are closed together; said plates having screws or bolts 16 arranged therein whereby the clamp can be conveniently tightened and released, as desired.

The removable flat annular cover 17 for the core-box is adapted for seating upon the top of the plate 13 and the top of the outer rim of the box, substantially as indicated.

The diameter of the clamp-plates 12 and 13 is made the same as the required diameter for the rotor-wheel casting, while the thickness of said plates together is such as to give the required depth of core-forming space.

The peripheral edges of the clamp-plates are adapted for supporting a complete circular band of metal 20. preferably a thin strip or ribbon of copper or steel about onesixteenth inch, more or less, in thickness 'the band 20 is arranged around the clamp the and of a width equal to or slightly greater than the rim of the rotor-wheel. Said band is provided along its medial line. with a se ries of perforations or holes 21 formed therethrough, of a shape corresponding with the crosssection shapeof the shanks 5 of the vanes, and spaced to correspond with the desired series spacing of the vanes about the circumference of the rotor. The relative diameters of the plates and band are such that the circular band will fit closely, but removably, about the peripheral faces of the adjacent clamp-plates12 and 13, with its openings 21 coincident with the clam spaces 15. The lower clamp plate is preferably. formed with a central eye 3, so that the plates can be supported upon a suitable shaft or pintle While assembling the vanes in the clamping. spaces 15. a

In the manufactureof the turbine rotors,

plates when the latter are slightly separated, suflicient for insertion of the shanks 5 upon the inner ends of the vanes. All

the vanes are then assembled with their shanks 5 respectively inserted through the openings 21 in the band, into the space or spaces 15 between the clamp-plates,as at 23;,the shoulders 4 resting against the exterior of the band, and the several vanes standing out radially, at their respective spaced positions. 'The screws 16 are then firmly clamping the shanks in position and retaining the varies in their proper relation. The clamp-plates are then laced Within the circular-box 10, the parts being maintained concentric by the corner of the, lower plate engaging with the shoulder 11 in the bottom of the box, the clamped vanes projecting outward within the annularspace 2 1, between the periphery of the clamp-plates andrim of the boxv 10. Said space is then'filled with core material incasingthe vanes 2 and exterior of the band 20 and forming a complete annular core 25 in which the vanes and band are retained at their required position. The top of said coreis leveled off with the cover 17 of the boX. A metal ring or hoop 18 of round or flat wire may, when desired,- be embedded in the material for reinforcing the core.

The clamp-plates 12 and 13, together with formed core 25, arethen removed from v the box 10; the clamp screw 16 turned out Cepies of this rea ma be obtained for a cylindrical annulus,

and the clampplates taken ofi, leaving the band 20 retained in the core with the shanks 5 of the vanes 2' cleanly projecting inward from the inner face of the band, as best shown at 5 on Fig. 2. This circular core is baked to give it properconsistency about the embedded vanes, and forms a complete having the complete series of vanes and face band assembled therein in their proper relation, and in a form which can be handled, stored or transported without'deranging thev circumferential adjustment of the vanes, and as a unitary circular element ready for its placementwithin the casting mold when producing the rotor wheel. 7

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentj 1. In apparatus for the production of turbine rotors, the vane-supporting core-forming means, comprising a circular boX, upper and lower clamp-plates concentrically supported thereln and affordlng annular core space, said clamp-plates adapted for supporting a circumferential centrally perfosupport within said box,

plate superposed thereon, said plates having countermatching surfaces adapted forclamping inwardly projecting shanks of rotor vanes, the peripheral edges of said clampplates adapted for supporting a circumferential band wlth central openings coinc1- dent with the shank clamping posltions, justing screws connecting said plates, the annular space between the periphery of the clamp-plates and rim of the box being greater than the lengthof the rotor vanes to be used; e t c Witness my hand this 18th day of April, 1918. 7 r

AXEL w. casts-on.

ave Gems eat, by addressing the "commissioner of raten'ts, Washington, D. G. i

circularclamp-plate adapted for concentric an upper clamp- 

